Congressman Jerrold Nadler has demonstrated his commitment to full LBGT civil rights.
It is my honor to induct New York Congressman Jerrold "Jerry" Nadler (D) as an Equality Hero. Since 1992, Nadler has represented the 8th Congressional District of New York, which includes the West Side of Manhattan, the historic Stonewall Inn, and one of the largest LGBT populations of any congressional district in the country. He is Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, which has primary or joint jurisdiction over virtually every bill affecting LGBT civil rights. With a thirty-year record of tirelessly fighting for the LGBT community, he could not be more deserving of the title Equality Hero, and we could not be more fortunate to have such an aggressive and principled ally in a position with such influence over our issues.
As a member of the New York State Assembly, in which he served from 1976 to 1992, Nadler was a leader for our community long before it became fashionable. Nadler was the only Assembly member who testified every year on behalf of New York City's landmark lesbian and gay rights bill until it finally became law. He was an original sponsor of NY State's employment nondiscrimination bill. He also authored and passed into law landmark legislation making it illegal for health insurance companies and funeral homes to discriminate against people with AIDS, and for pharmaceutical companies to price-gouge AIDS-treatment drugs.
In Congress, Nadler has been an original co-sponsor of every major piece of LGBT civil rights legislation introduced in the House, and an unyielding opponent of every piece of discriminatory legislation aimed at the LGBT community. A founding member and vice-chair of the House LGBT Equality Caucus, he has personally authored the Uniting American Families Act, which he introduced in every congress since 2000 (including the present one), the Equal Access to Social Security Act, and the Father Mychal Judge Act. The Father Mychal Judge Act was signed into law in 2002, providing the first-ever acknowledged federal public benefit to same-sex couples by expanding who can receive federal death benefits to include the same-sex partners of firefighters and police officers who die in the line of duty. Nadler has also been the House champion on the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program, and a key leader on Ryan White reauthorization.
Nadler has focused his leadership in recent years in the fight for marriage equality. Nadler was an early and vigorous opponent of DOMA when it was introduced in 1996, and he was the first member of the New York congressional delegation to openly support marriage equality. When the Bush administration tried to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment, Nadler was the Judiciary Committee member tasked to lead the House floor fight against it. In 2009, he will introduce legislation to repeal DOMA and ensure access to federal benefits.
Nadler is also an Equality Hero because of his leadership on transgender rights. Nadler was the first member of the House of Representatives to speak about transgender rights on the floor of the House. Since then, he has been an active proponent of transgender rights, including voting against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act based on that bill's exclusion of protections for gender identity.
But to me, what makes Congressman Nadler a hero is the true leadership he has demonstrated by supporting and empowering the grass roots efforts of our movement. Nadler secured the first-ever congressional appropriation for a non-AIDS-related LGBT organization, New York City's LGBT Center. He has continued to bring millions of dollars back to New York for LGBT organizations ever since. On the fortieth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, I had the great honor to be joined by Congressman Nadler at press conference at the Stonewall Inn where The Power announced the kick-off of a nationwide effort to expand the Civil Rights Act to include LGBT people. Nadler went one better in his comments announcing that his office is researching and drafting legislation to include LGBT people in all federal civil rights laws, empowering us to keep our eyes on the prize of full equality.
For all of these reasons, Congressman Jerry Nadler is truly an Equality Hero.
 | | Induction by Jeffrey H. Campagna, Esq. Jeffrey H. Campagna is the founder of www.ThePowerOnline.org which is spearheading a petition to include LGBT people in the Civil Rights Act that has been endorsed by a wide array of LGBT businesses, blogs, media organizations, civil rights groups, and elected officials. He produced the independent film Poster Boy was distributed by Here! Films and won best screenplay at Outfest L.A. An attorney, he practiced in the Civil Rights Bureau of the New York State Attorney General‘s Office and at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, & Garrison LLP. He is also a fundraiser on behalf of a wide range of Democratic candidates and LGBT causes. | |
